Pyrophoric lighter



Aug. 16, 1955 R. L. BURCHETT PYROPHORIC LIGHTER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 9, 1952 NVENTR. FA Y L. BURC/157'?.- Y

ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 16, 1955 R. L. BURCHETT PYROPHORIC LIGHTER Filed April 9, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

RA Y L. BURCHETT WMM United States Patent Olitice 2,?l5,329 Patented Aug. 16, 1955 PYROPHORIC LIGHTER Ray L. Burchett, East Orange, N. I., assignor to Ronson Corporation, Newark, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 9, 1952, Serial No. 281,290

6 Claims. (Cl. 67-7.1)

This invention relates to pyrophoric lighters of the type wherein the burner thereof is covered with a cap when the lighter is not in use and relates particularly to an improved mounting arrangement for such a cap.

Pyrophoric lighters have been constructed with a rigid closure lcver which is driven manually or by a spring. The lever is used not only to cover the burner and other parts of the lighter mechanism so as to protect them from damage and so as to prevent them from coming in contact with clothing, etc., but also it is used to drive the sparking wheel through some form of clutch mechanism. It is usual to mount a closure cap on such a lever, which cap engages and encloses the burner. If the burner is of the wick tube type, the cap acts as a snuffer and prevents evaporation of fuel from the wick,

or if the burner is a nozzle of a gaseous fuel type of lighter, the cap prevents damage to the nozzle and prevents clogging of the nozzle by dirt.

It is important in lighters of the type mentioned above that a relatively tight seal be obtained between the closure cap and the burner. However, if the cap is rigidly n secured to the closure lever, manufacturing tolerances make it difficult to obtain the desired seal without individual adjustment of each cap. In overcoming the misalignment of the cap with respect to the burner, it usually must be moved both toward and away from the burner and angularly with respect thereto. Thus, a mounting for the cap which merely permits tilting of the cap is not always adequate to permit alignment of the cap and the burner, and this is particularly true when the burner is provided with a resilient sealing ring over which the cap slides.

It is an object of my invention to provide a mounting arrangement for a closure cap of a lighter which has several directions of freedom so that it will align itself with the burner of the lighter in which it is installed, even though from lighter to lighter the variations of spacing and orientation of the burner with respect to the closure lever or its pivot point may be relatively large.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a mounting arrangement for a closure cap of a lighter which is simple and economical to manufacture and which simplifies the lighter assembly.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious and in part speciically referred to in the description hereinafter set forth which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred form and a modified form of a lighter which is constructed in accordance with the invention. The disclosure, however, should be considered as merely illustrative of the principles of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view, partly in cross section, of a pyrophoric lighter including the improved closure cap mounting arrangement of my invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged, fragmentary, side elevation views, partly in cross section, of the embodiment tot shown in Fig. 1 and illustrate respectively the parts of the lighter in idle and in active positions;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view, partly in cross section, of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the closure cap mounting device of my invention;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the closure cap mounting device shown in Fig. 5 with a closure cap mounted thereon; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the closure cap and mounting device shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 1-4 which show a pyrophoric lighter including the closure cap mounting arrangement of my invention, the lighter comprises a casing 10 having mounted on the top wall 11 thereof a burner 12, a closure lever 13 and a manually operable member 14. In the drawings the burner 12 has the form of a wick tube enclosing a wick 15 but, if desired, the burner 12 may be a nozzle in the event that gaseous fuel, such as butane or propane, is employed. The fuel for the burner 12 is contained within the casing 10 and is conducted to the burner by conventional means.

The manually operable member 14 comprises a ngerpiece 16 and a hollow tube 17 secured thereto. The tube 17 slidably engages the inner wall of the tube 18 mounted on the wall 11 of the casing 10 and the member 14 is urged into its idle position, as shown in Fig. l, by a spring 19 acting between the member 14 and the end wall 20 of the tube 18.

The closure lever 13, a sparking Wheel 21 and a pair or pinions 23 are rotatably mounted on a shaft 24 which is supported on a pair of ears 25 mounted on the top wall 11. The shaft 24 may consist of an internally threaded tube having a slotted head 32 and an interengaging externally threaded screw having a slotted head 33 so as to permit ready removal of the rotatable parts of the lighter. The side walls of the closure lever 13 are cut out to conform to the teeth of the pinions 23 and the pinions 23 extend through these cut-out portions of the side walls so that the closure lever 13 rotates with the pinions 23.

A clutch member 26 which loosely supports a closure cap preferably is mounted on a hub 21a extending from the side of sparking wheel 21 and between one of the pinions 23 and a side of the sparking wheel 21, but the hub 21a may be omitted and the members 26 may be mounted directly on the shaft 24. The clutch member 26 has, as described hereinafter in greater detail, a pawl portion which engages teeth on the side of the sparking wheel 21 and causes the sparking wheel 21 to rotate when the clutch member 26 is rotated in one direction. The clutch member 26 is engaged by the under side of the top wall of the closure lever 13 and, therefore, is driven thereby.

The manually operable member 14 is preferably drivingly interconnected with the closure lever 13 by means of a rack 22 which may be formed integrally with the member 14 and which meshes with the pinions 23. Thus, as the manually operable member 14 is depressed, the pinions 23 are rotated, causing rotation of the closure lever 13 into the position shown in Fig. 3. Rotation of the closure lever 13 in turn causes rotation of the clutch member 26 and the sparking wheel 21. A pyrophoric material, such as the spring-pressed flint rod 27 extending from the int tube 28, presses against the serrated face of the sparking wheel 21 and produces a shower of sparks at the burner 12 when the sparking Wheel 21 is rotated.

Although, as indicated above, the manually operable member 14 preferably is drivingly interconnected with the closure lever 13, it is to be understood that the driving mechanism shown is only one form of known types of driving mechanisms which may be employed in connectionwith my invention, and, also, my invention may be employed in arrangements in which the lever 13 is moved from its idle position by other known types of drivingameansratherthanvbyrthelmember 14;

Referring to Figs.v 5-7, itwill beseen that the clutch member 26'has a main-body portion 36 inthe form of a plate. The entiremember 26 preferably islma'de. from a-thinsheetof resilient metal, such :as spring steel, which is formed by cutting and bendingit into the vshape shown in1these'igures.Y Themain body kor plate portion 36-has anY aperture ,31 Y therein which permits .the clutch member 26 to passV over the hub 21a. The plate portion'36 also is slit andvbent soV as toform a positioning tongue34 which extends in a Adirection perpendicular to the plane ofthe plate 36 and apawlztongue 35 which. also extends in a; direction.Y perpendicular to the plane of the plate portion 36.

The-size of the aperture 31 inthe clutch member 26 isisuch that theclutch member-26has a runnjngt'with the hub 21a. The positioning tongue 34 presses against the inner wall of the closure lever 13, as best indicated in Fig. 4, andresiliently holds the clutch member 26 in its proper position. Also, the positioning tongue 34 assists in permitting the pawl tongue 35 to ride over, the teeth on the side of the sparking wheel 21 when the closure lever 13 is returned from its active position to its idlev position.

. A tab V37 extending in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the plate portion 36 is formed on one side of the center of the aperture 31 and engages the under side of the top wall of the closure lever 13. An arm'29 is formed on the opposite side ofthe center of the aperture 31 and also -has a portion 29a which engages the under side of the top wall of the closure lever 13. The arm 29 of the clutch member 26 lies generally in a plane which isperpendicular to the plane of the p late portion 36 but is bent downwardly at 29b so as to provide a resilient mounting for the closure ycap 30. The end, of the arm 29 remote from the center of the aperture 31 extends over the burner 12 and isbifurcated yso as to provide an aperture 38 between the ends thereof for loosely receiving the closure cap 30. v

The closurecap 30 has a main body portion 39 which is of a diameter larger than the width of the aperture 38, a securing portion or head 40 which also has a diameter largerthan the width of the aperture 38 and an intermediate cylindrical portion 41 between the securing portion 40 and the main body portion 39. The diameter of the intermediate cylindrical portion 41fis less than the width of the aperture 38 and preferably the length of the portion 41 is greater than the thickness of the arm Y 29*y where it surrounds the aperture 38 so that the cap 30 is loosely supported by the clutch member 26 and may not only be tilted slightly with respect to the arm 29, but may also be moved lengthwise of the aperture 38 and hence may be moved towardand away from the burner 12.

The closure cap 30.is also provided with an annular shoulder42 which, if the force applied by the spring 19 is sufficient, is engaged by the lower rim of the closure lever 13,V aidingin the engagement of the closure cap 30 with the burner 12. Also, the closure lever 13 preferably has a U-.shaped cross section and a closed endnot only to provide strength, but also to retain the closure-cap 39 in the aperture 38. v

From the above it will be seen that the mounting for the closure cap 30 permits the cap to be tilted and moved toward and away from the burner 12. Also, the mountingis resilient and permits the'cap to adjust itself to burners of different heights. Accordingly, the cap 30`has several directions of freedom, and relatively large variations from lighter to lighter of the spacingand orientation of the burner 12 with respect to the shaft 24 will not require individual adjustment of the closure cap in order to obtain a tight seal between the cap and the burner.

In addition, the mounting arrangement of my invention 4 is simple and economical to manufacture and permits rapid assembly of the cap with the remainder of the lighter parts without the use of screws, rivets or solder.

Having thus described my invention with particularity, with reference to the preferred embodiments of the same, and having referred to certain modifications thereof, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding my invention, that other changes and modiiications may be made therein without departingV from the spirit or scope of my invention, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover such changes and. modifications as are within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. In a pyrophoric lighter having a casing, a burner, a sparking wheel mounted on said casing and having ratchet teeth thereon and a closure cap adapted to cover said burner, means for mounting said closure cap cornprising: a clutch member mounted adjacent'said wheel, said member having exible pawl means integral thereA with and engageable with said teeth for rotating said wheel and having a exible arm integral therewith ex' tending over said burner and adapted to support said cap, said arm being flexible toward and away fromsaid burner and having an aperture therein adapted to receive a portion of saidcap and said aperture being largerfthan said -portion of said cap, whereby said cap may bemoved with respect to said arm.

2. A pyrophoric lighter4 comprising: a casing; a rotatable sparking wheel mounted on said casing; a pyrophoric material-mounted on said casing in contact with said wheel; a burner mountedon said casing and adjacent said wheel; a closure lever pivotally mounted on said casing, said lever overlying said burner in an idle position and being movable to an active positionwin which it is remote from saidV burner; a closure cap mounted under said lever and adapted in its idle'position to cover said burner; and driving means for driving said lever and said cap to Amove said lever from idle to active positions and to move said cap away fromsaid burner, said driving means including a unitary clutch member having a flexible pawl engageable with said wheel and having a flexible arm extending over said burner said cap being loosely secured to said arm- Yand being free to move with respect to both said arm and sai lever.

3. A pyrophoric lighter comprising: a casing; a 'rotatable sparking wheel mounted on said casing; a pyrophoric material mounted on said casing in contact'witli said wheel; a burner mounted on said casing and adjacent saidv wheel; a reciprocable iingerpiece mounted on said casing and adjacent said wheel; a closure lever pivotally mounted on said casing, said lever overlying said burner in an idle position and being movable to an active position. in which it` is remote from said burner; driving i means interconnecting said ngerpiece and said lever lto move said lever from idle to active positionsfonmovement of said fingerpiecefrom idle to active positions; clutch means interconnecting said lever andsaid Wheel to move said wheel on movement of said vlever from idle to active positions, said clutch means comprising a plate having a pawl engageablev with saidwheel and. having a flexible arm extendingrover said burner and exible toward and away from saidburner, said plate alsohaving portions thereof engageable with said lever for movement therewith; and a closure cap mounted under said lever and adapted in the. idle position of said lever to overlie andv engage said burner, said cap being loosely secured to and supported by said armand being free to move with respect to said arm in two mutually transverse directions.

4. A pyrophoric lighter comprising: a casinga, shaft mounted Von said casingg. a rotatable sparkingwheel mounted on said shaft; a pyrophoric material mounted on said casing. in contact with saidwheelraburner mounted on said casing and adjacent said wheel; a reciprocable linger-piece mounted on said casing and adjacent said wheel; a closure lever pivotally mounted on said shaft, said lever overlying said burner in an idle position and being movable to an active position in which it is remote from said burner; driving means interconnecting said ngerpiece and said lever to move said lever from idle to active positions on movement of said {ingerpiece from idle to active positions; clutch means interconnecting said lever and said wheel to move said wheel on movement of said lever from idle to active positions, said clutch means comprising a plate having an aperture therein and having a pawl engageable with said wheel, said plate being mounted on said shaft with said shaft extending through said aperture, said plate also having a tab thereon at one side of the center of said aperture and an arm at the opposite side of said center and extending over said burner, said tab and said arm being engageable with said lever and said arm having an aperture therein remote from said center and overlying said burner; and a closure cap loosely mounted under said lever and adapted in the idle position of said lever to overlie and engage said burner, said cap being loosely secured to said arm with a portion thereof extending through said aperture in said arm.

5. A pyrophoric lighter comprising: a casing; a shaft mounted on said casing; a rotatable sparking wheel mounted on said shaft; a pyrophoric material mounted l on said casing in contact with said wheel; a burner mounted on said casing and at one side of said wheel; a reciprocable iingerpiece mounted on said casing and at the opposite side of said wheel; a closure lever pivotally mounted on said shaft and having a U-shaped cross section and a closed end, said lever overlying said burner in an idle position with its open side and said closed end adjacent said burner and being movable to an active position in which it is remote from said burner; gear means interconnecting said ngerpiece and said lever to move said lever from idle to active positions on movement of said fingerpiece from idle to active positions; clutch means interconnecting said lever and said wheel to move said wheel on movement of said lever from idle to active positions, said clutch means comprising a relatively thin disc of resilient metal having an aperture therein and having a pawl tongue, said disc being mounted on said shaft with said shaft extending through said aperture, and said pawl tongue being engageable with said wheel, said disc also having a lever engaging portion thereon at one side of the center of said disc and an arm at the opposite side of said center and extending over said burner, said lever engaging portion and said arm being engageable with the inner wall of-said lever and said arm having a slot therein remote from said center and overlying said burner, said slot lying in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said disc and having its length extending parallel to the plane of said disc; and a closure cap loosely mounted within said lever adjacent said closed end and adapted in the idle position of said lever to overlie and engage said burner, said cap having a diameter which is greater than the width of said slot and having a cylindrical portion intermediate the ends thereof the diameter of which is less than the width of said slot and said cap being mounted with said second portion within said slot.

6. In a pyrophoric lighter having a casing, a burner and a sparking wheel mounted on said casing and a closure cap adapted to cover said burner, means for mounting said closure cap comprising: a unitary clutch member mounted adjacent said wheel, said member having means integral therewith engageable with said wheel for moving said wheel and having a exible arm integral therewith and extending adjacent said burner, said cap being loosely secured to said arm and being free to move with respect to said arm in two mutually transverse directions.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,746,949 Kollstede Feb. 11, 1930 2,194,844 Boele Mar. 26, 1940 2,252,676 Zaken Aug. 12, 1941 2,399,292 Polkosnik Apr. 30, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 85,919 Switzerland July 16, 1920 257,195 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1949 645,734 France July 3, 1928 

